English Football Thread 2013/14

[Epic]

Pellegrini has a interesting love affair with Demichelis, poor player in general i think, even when he plays in defense. With Fernandinho out, i think Milner would have been a better choice centrally.

He was superb with Malaga, was quite essential in their CL campaign last season, and Demichelis when signed was not supposed to play as many games as he has, he was supposed to be a replacement for Kolo remember, I just think the indifferent form of Nastasic and the nonexistent form of Lescott has pushed him into a more prominent role.

This is what Pellegrini said after the game in terms of our injury situation.

He [Fernandinho] has a muscle injury. It will be a couple of weeks [out]. He is a very important player for us. Jack Rodwell is coming from an injury for one month. James Milner just worked with us the last day and is not 100 percent.

It not only him [Fernandinho]. Aguero, Nasri and Javi Garcia [were out]. Milner was not 100 percent, Negredo was not 100 percent. It was too much [of an] advantage for an important team like Chelsea [to have]. I put all the players that were in the condition to play [on the pitch], that is why I did not make the other two changes.

A truly tough spot to be in.

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Oh, I've seen a few people around the web say stuff like "Demichelis has no experience playing as the DM", just remember he won back to back Bundesliga titles with Bayern playing there before being converted into a CB.

 

[KBC]

I'm backing epic on this one. One bad game and Demichelis is portrayed to be useless. Of course he was bad, but he came up against a ravaging Chelsea side. Moreover he hasn't played in holding midfield position iirc, (correct me if i'm wrong) for City since he signed for them. It was odd for him to step up in this injury layoff. He's quite decent in midfield. Epic's said all there is about him.

games like these & you wish you hadn't loaned Barry. :P

 

[thedon5]

Jones is barely even a centre back these days. If he is considered one from next season, there'll need to be someone who can replace him in his other positions too. So I see 2-3 defensive players being needed, as well as an Evra replacement. No doubt every selling club will know this and prices will be sky high because of this, so I don't think money can really be put elsewhere

 

[Haarithan]

I genuinely believe Man Utd will go on a PSG-esque spending spree this summer. Reckon they will have to, in all honesty. Especially if they fail to finish top 4.

 

[thedon5]

I genuinely believe Man Utd will go on a PSG-esque spending spree this summer. Reckon they will have to, in all honesty. Especially if they fail to finish top 4.

Man Utd have the Glazers. All they'll really have is a lot more money for wages as Vidic and Ferdinand were on a lot, other than that Moyes probably won't be given more than a ?60-70 m kitty.

 

[KBC]

Really sad to see Vidic go. Terrific servant to the club and i'm sure he'll come back to OT in some capacity after his playing days. Just a year ago you wouldn't have thought he'd run his contract down, but with his age and Injuries plauging him over the recent past or even with the new management he probably got this right for himself.

I'm afraid this will trigger a chain reaction among the senior players with likes of Rio and Evra likely to head out of the club. (with Beckham's Miami club beckoning, [!!!] A very possible destination or even Monaco.)

Vidic is still a top class defender and he'd want to leave by putting in his best to get Man Utd in the top 4.

We're far away from the summer window but this is a little sign of the exodus to come in the summer. An oppurtunity for David Moyes to put one ahead over his past failures and reshape and put his authority in place at the club.

Vidic Will Leave (He has confirmed it)
Ferdi will most probably retire
Smalling is crap

That leaves us with Evans and Jones

Nope.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

it's honestly good news for united, a lot of focus has been on the midfield and wings not looking particularly good but they have been leaky as hell this season and need a complete revamp at the back.

I'd have jones as a CB, he's got all the qualities to be utterly immense in the role. I thought them not looking at other centre backs in january though, they should have seen this coming. buying one is tricky but it's very hard to corner the market and get the best two centre backs available.

personally I can see them going after one of juventus' back 3, in the hope that Juve getting ogbonna might just convince them to part company with one of them. Chiellini seems the most obvious, at an age were juve could be persuaded to cash in on him but also just young enough to justify a pretty big fee. I think they'll be able to get Shaw eventually too, apparently he prefers chelsea but he's not a very mourinho style signing so I think they'll clear out of the way.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

I genuinely believe Man Utd will go on a PSG-esque spending spree this summer. Reckon they will have to, in all honesty. Especially if they fail to finish top 4.

Yeah sure, with our deadweight owners still around our necks. Yes I know they still spend money, but that is just getting us deeper into debt, and regardless of what they do they cannot match Chelsea or City's spending power.

 

[Abhas]

I hate how football clubs have started to be associated with the money they can spend, not the brand of football they play.

 

[thedon5]

13 minutes in and Liverpool should be 5-0 up. Fair play to them, keep this up and they've got another big win.

 

[thedon5]

@StinkyBoHoon you are like an oracle. We haven't won any big games away from home this season except for Dortmund. I tried to argue with you when you said we just needed to win the smaller games to do well, but you are completely right in that we have to fix up our big game performances too.

Liverpool were outstanding at the start, they need to stay in the game though. They've been doing this all season, getting off to fliers then falling off. That is what could be the difference between 5th and the title for them.

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Ozil is a bloody primadonna wimp as well. Extremely underwhelming so far this season.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

I know, if only I hadn't said all those things about man u and aston villa doing really well. I should stick to the harbinger of doom role.

 

[Ohm]

Keep it down gunners.

 

[Haarithan]

Credit where it's absolutely due to Brendan - Sterling, Henderson and Flanagan wouldn't be where they are today were it not for him. It's scary when you realize Raheem is only 19. What a performance.

Also like it how Gerrard's proving me wrong playing significantly better in that deeper role now. Just hope we can go on a consistent run of winning games now...

 

[Ohm]

Nervous Salah.....